74-degree day breaks 1917 record

After a balmy, record-setting 74-degree day on Monday, Jan. 28, cold weather and snow are forecast for tonight and tomorrow, with one to four inches expected.

Monday’s 74 temperature smashed all records for this date, with the previous record being a high of just 62 on Jan. 28, 1917, according to the National Weather Service. And, not only did this odd warm spell break the Jan. 28th record; it also carved a niche in the record book as creating the warmest Jan. 29th on record, with early morning temps at 68. The previous record for this date was 63 degrees, recorded in 1911 and 1919.

The record is for Kansas City, as the National Weather Service does not keep official records for Chillicothe. However, the weather reporting station in Chillicothe did record a high of 74 for Monday.

Now, after experiencing a warm reprieve, conditions will become more typical of winter. Snow and blowing snow are expected to start this evening.

“We are looking at widespread snowfall,” said NWS meteorologist Andy Bailey, adding that he anticipated Chillicothe to see between one and two inches, with greater accumulation northwest and toward Iowa.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 9 p.m. tonight until noon Wednesday. The snow is developing in the wake of a strong cold front this evening, spreading up to four inches across northwest and north central Missouri by early Wednesday afternoon.

The falling snow is expected to be accompanied by northwest winds, increasing to 20 to 30 mph after midnight tonight, reducing visibilities and making travel hazardous.

The area will experience rapidly falling temperatures. Wednesday should see a high of 30 degrees, with a low of 16 . On Thursday, the mercury is expected to top out at 24, and plunge to an overnight low of 9.